Russian President says will try to repair ties with USA under Trump

MOSCOW: Russia is ready to do its part to fully restore ties with Washington following the election of businessman Donald Trump as the next U.S. President, Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Wednesday.

Trump stunned the world by defeating heavily favored rival Hillary Clinton in Tuesday’s presidential election, ending eight years of Democratic rule and sending the United States on a new, uncertain path.

Among those uncertainties will be the Trump administration’s future relations with Russia. Ties between Washington and Moscow have become increasingly strained over the conflicts in Ukraine and Syria, and allegations of Russian cyber attacks featured in the U.S. election campaign.

“We heard the campaign statements of the future U.S. presidential candidate about the restoration of relations between Russia and the United States,” Putin said on Wednesday at a ceremony to receive credentials from new foreign ambassadors.

“It is not an easy path, but we are ready to do our part and do everything to return Russian and American relations to a stable path of development,” he added.

“This would be good for both the Russian and American people and have a positive impact on the climate of world affairs.”

Trump is widely viewed as friendly to the Kremlin and Putin has said previously his future counterpart is a talented and colorful character.

The Kremlin said earlier on Wednesday Russia hoped coordination with the United States over the war in Syria, where the two countries back opposing sides, would improve under the new U.S. president.